Data storage security apparatus and system

ABSTRACT

A data storage device is secured by extracting timing information encoded within a password-related symbol stream received by the storage device and denying access if the timing information is incorrect or the symbol stream is not identical to a valid authentication sequence. In one embodiment, each symbol corresponds to a password, and at least one symbol is transmitted within a specified timing window while at least one other symbol must be transmitted at a random time that varies with each authentication attempt. In certain embodiments, a computing device associated with the data storage device is configured to provide a single password prompt, receive a character sequence corresponding to a plurality of passwords from a user, and communicate an encrypted symbol stream to the storage device with a specified timing pattern imposed thereon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to devices, methods, and systems forsecuring data bearing media. Specifically, the invention relates todevices, methods, and systems for preventing unauthorized access to databearing media.

2. Description of the Related Art

Data storage devices, such as disk drives, are currently used in avariety of machines including computers, car stereos, vending machines,media players, and automated teller machines (ATMs). In the foreseeablefuture, data storage devices will become increasingly portable and willbe introduced into additional machines and environments due to theirever-increasing storage capacity, shrinking footprint, and decreasingprice.

Data storage devices often contain large amounts of sensitive data suchas financial information, personal information, business plans, andmore. As data storage devices become increasingly pervasive,interchangeable, and portable, the ability to secure data storagedevices, particularly portable devices, is becoming increasinglyimportant.

One of many methods for breaching a data storage device is to remove thedata storage device from a machine and access the data storage device inanother location with a machine or computer system configured for thatpurpose. For example, an unauthorized party may attempt to access thedata storage device of an ATM by physically removing the data storagedevice from the ATM, transporting it to a remote location, andconnecting it to a computer system designed to generate a large numberof passwords and associated access attempts in a short period of time.Consequently, the unauthorized party may gain access to the valuableinformation stored upon the stolen data storage device.

Over the years, a variety of techniques have been developed that attemptto protect data storage devices from unwanted intrusion. For example,some data storage devices prompt the user for multiple passwords inorder to decrease the probability of successful intrusion. Other storagedevices impose a delay before responding to a password in order toreduce the rate at which passwords may be entered. While useful inreducing the likelihood of intrusion, such methods may be overcome by apersistent intruder.

While invulnerable protection from intrusion is unattainable, what isneeded is a data storage device that further reduces the probability ofsuccessful intrusion by an unauthorized party. More specifically, whatis needed is a data storage device that prevents unauthorized access byimposing timing requirements on password related data and an associatedcomputing device that provides password-related data with the prescribedtiming requirements imposed thereon.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been developed in response to the presentstate of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems andneeds in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currentlyavailable storage device security means and methods. Accordingly, thepresent invention provides a storage device security apparatus, method,and system that overcome many or all of the above-discussed shortcomingsin the art.

In certain embodiments, the present invention imposes timing constraintson password-related data used to gain access to data stored on a storagedevice. The timing constraints add another dimension of control andcommunication that significantly increase the barriers to unauthorizedaccess to storage data.

In one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for controllingaccess to data stored on a data bearing medium includes, in oneembodiment, a data bearing medium configured to store data, a receivingbuffer configured to receive a symbol stream, a timing module configuredto provide timing information, and an authentication module configuredto grant access to the data storage device if the symbol stream isidentical to an authentication sequence and the symbol stream conformsto particular timing constraints. In one embodiment, access to the datastorage device is denied if a selected symbol is not received within aspecified timing window. The received symbols may be any informationunit convenient to communication such as bits, bytes, characters, orpasswords, and may be encrypted for additional security. Timing windowsmay be imposed on one or more of the communicated symbols.

A timing window may be relative to a start symbol within the symbolstream. In one embodiment, the start symbol corresponds to a selectedordinal position within the symbol stream. In another embodiment, thestart symbol is a symbol with a particular value. In certainembodiments, one or more symbols are designated as random-timing symbolsthat must vary in timing with each authentication attempt in order togain access to the data.

In one embodiment, the symbol stream corresponds to a plurality ofpasswords and the authentication module is further configured to requirere-authentication in response to a timeout event. In certainembodiments, the symbols are encrypted, and the apparatus includes adecryption module configured to decrypt the symbol stream. In oneembodiment, the encryption key may be dynamically changed.

In another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for controllingaccess to a data storage device includes an interface module configuredto receive a character sequence from a user in response to providing apassword prompt to the user, and a storage access module configured tocommunicate a symbol stream corresponding to the character sequence to apassword-protected data storage device with the prescribed timingconstraints imposed thereon. In one embodiment, the symbol streamcorresponds to a plurality of passwords, and the interface module isconfigured to receive a character sequence comprising a plurality ofpasswords in response to a single password prompt.

The interface module may also be configured to omit notification ofunsuccessful access to the data storage device and defer notification ofsuccessful access to the data storage device. In one embodiment,notification of successful access is deferred for a random waitinterval. Deferring notification for a random wait interval requireswaiting for the longest possible interval before one can conclude thatan access attempt has failed. However, successful attempts will onaverage be acknowledged at the shorter average wait interval.

The apparatus may also include a timing generator configured to generatethe timing window and an encryption module configured to encrypt thesymbol stream. In one embodiment, the timing generator is furtherconfigured to generate random timings for one or more random-timingsymbols.

In certain embodiments, the apparatus for controlling access to datastored on a data bearing medium and the apparatus for controlling accessto a data storage device may be combined into a system that providesmeans for securely storing, accessing, and processing data. In oneembodiment, the system includes a password-protected data storage deviceconfigured to store data on a data bearing medium, a display configuredto display a password prompt to a user, and an input device configuredto provide means for inputting a character sequence.

The system may also include a processing module configured tocommunicate a symbol stream corresponding to the user-provided charactersequence to the password-protected data storage device wherein at leastone selected symbol within the symbol stream is transmitted within aspecified timing window. The data storage device may be configured toprovide access to the data on the data bearing medium if the symbolstream is identical to an authentication sequence and at least oneselected symbol within the symbol stream is received within a specifiedtiming window. The processing module, display, and input device maypartially or wholly form a computing device associated with the storagedevice such as a computer, a workstation, a pocket computer, anappliance, a media player, a mobile telephone, an electronic organizer,a media player, or the like.

Imposing timing information on password-related data such as thedescribed symbol stream improves the security of the present inventionover the prior art. The timing of such symbols is preferably generatedand deciphered by machine rather than a user in order to increase theprecision required to gain access to secured data. The required timingis also not accessible to the user thus increasing security overprevious solutions. In one embodiment, the required timing may bedynamically changed to further increase security.

In certain embodiments, specialized support hardware such as timingcircuits and data queues facilitates imposing and requiring timingprecision on a standard communication interface that cannot be achieveon devices without such support circuitry. Thus security is increasedwhile maintaining compatibility with existing devices and systems thatdo not support the increased security of symbol timing.

Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, orsimilar language does not imply that all of the features and advantagesthat may be realized with the present invention should be or are in anysingle embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to thefeatures and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature,advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodimentis included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus,discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language,throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to thesame embodiment.

Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics ofthe invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or moreembodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that theinvention can be practiced without one or more of the specific featuresor advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additionalfeatures and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments thatmay not be present in all embodiments of the invention.

The various elements and aspects of the present invention facilitatecontrolling access to a data storage device. These features andadvantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent fromthe following description and appended claims, or may be learned by thepractice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the advantages of the invention will be readilyunderstood, a more particular description of the invention brieflydescribed above will be rendered by reference to specific embodimentsthat are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that thesedrawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are nottherefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the inventionwill be described and explained with additional specificity and detailthrough the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting one embodiment of a storage accesssystem of the present invention;

FIG. 2 a is a block diagram depicting one embodiment of a data storagedevice of the present invention;

FIG. 2 b is a block diagram depicting one embodiment of aprotected-storage computing device of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart diagram depicting one embodiment of a storageaccess method of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flow chart diagram depicting one embodiment of a passwordauthentication method of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram depicting one embodiment of a storage deviceof the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart diagram depicting one embodiment of a passwordauthentication method of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature,structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodimentis included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus,appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” andsimilar language throughout this specification may, but do notnecessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.

Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics ofthe invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or moreembodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that theinvention can be practiced without one or more of the specific featuresor advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additionalfeatures and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments thatmay not be present in all embodiments of the invention.

Many of the functional units described in this specification have beenlabeled as modules, in order to more particularly emphasize theirimplementation independence. For example, a module may be implemented asa hardware circuit comprising custom VLSI circuits or gate arrays,off-the-shelf semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or otherdiscrete components. A module may also be implemented in programmablehardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays, programmablearray logic, programmable logic devices or the like.

Modules may also be implemented in software for execution by varioustypes of processors. An identified module of executable code may, forinstance, comprise one or more physical or logical blocks of computerinstructions which may, for instance, be organized as an object,procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the executables of an identifiedmodule need not be physically located together, but may comprisedisparate instructions stored in different locations which, when joinedlogically together, comprise the module and achieve the stated purposefor the module.

Indeed, a module of executable code could be a single instruction, ormany instructions, and may even be distributed over several differentcode segments, among different programs, and across several memorydevices. Similarly, operational data may be identified and illustratedherein within modules, and may be embodied in any suitable form andorganized within any suitable type of data structure. The operationaldata may be collected as a single data set, or may be distributed overdifferent locations including over different storage devices, and mayexist, at least partially, merely as electronic signals on a system ornetwork.

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a storage access system 100 of thepresent invention. The depicted storage access system 100 includes acomputing device 110 having therein a display 120, an input device 130,and a processing module 140 communicating with a data storage device150. Although similar to prior art computing systems, the storage accesssystem 100 provides additional functionality that improves datasecurity.

The display 120 enables the computing device 110 to display visualinformation such as input prompts and menu options to a user. The inputdevice 130 provides a user with means to input information such as menuselections and passwords. In the depicted embodiment, the input device130 enables a user to input a character sequence 135 comprising one ormore passwords in response to a password prompt presented by the display120.

The processing module 140 may comprise a CPU and program memory (notshown) that enables the computing device 110 to execute machine codes.The machine codes may be organized into software modules that provideparticular functionality to the computing device 110. The processingmodule 140 may be configured to receive the character sequence 135 fromthe input device 130 and provide a symbol stream 145 corresponding tothe character sequence 135 to the data storage device 150.

The symbols within the symbol stream 145 may be any information unitconvenient to communication such as bits, bytes, characters, orpasswords, and may be encrypted for additional security. In oneembodiment, each symbol corresponds to a password or line of text. Inanother embodiment, each symbol corresponds to a password character.

Timing constraints such as timing windows may be imposed on one or moreof the communicated symbols. In one embodiment, each timing window maybe relative to a start symbol, and the start symbol may correspond to aselected ordinal position within the symbol stream 145. In oneembodiment, the processing module 140 may be further configured torandomize a transmission time of random-timing symbols or change theencryption key with which the symbol stream 145 is encrypted.

The data storage device 110 may comprise a data bearing medium such as arotational magnetic medium (not shown). Also, the data storage device150 may be configured to receive the symbol stream 145 and grant accessto the data bearing medium only if the symbol stream 145 corresponds toa valid authentication sequence and conforms the aforementioned timingconstraints. Requiring conformance to timing constraints improves thesecurity of the data storage device 150 and the storage access system100 over previous solutions.

FIG. 2 a illustrates one embodiment of a data storage device 200 of thepresent invention. As depicted, the data storage device 200 includes astorage bus 205, a data bearing medium 210 and media interface 215, anauthentication module 220, a timing module 230, a transmit buffer 235, areceiving buffer 240, and a decryption module 245. The data storagedevice 200 is one example of the data storage device 150 depicted inFIG. 1. The various modules and components of the data storage device200 function harmoniously to receive and authenticate a symbol stream145 corresponding to a password or set of passwords, as a prerequisiteto granting access to the data bearing medium 210.

The depicted embodiment includes a storage bus 205 which facilitatescommunication among the various modules of the data storage device 200.The data bearing medium 210 provides a medium for storing data. In oneembodiment, the data bearing medium 210 is a rotational magnetic mediumcommon to disk drives.

The authentication module 220 verifies the validity of the symbol stream145 as a condition to granting access to the data bearing medium 210. Incertain embodiments, the symbol stream 145 is considered valid if it isidentical to an authentication sequence stored within the authenticationmodule 220 and specific timing constraints are met. In one embodiment,the authentication module 220 may also change the timing constraintsrequired for subsequent access and inform the computing device 110 ofsuch a change. Alternately, the computing device 110 may request such achange.

The authentication module 220, or another module associated therewith,may be configured to defer notification of successful authentication. Inone embodiment, a deferral interval associated with deferrednotification is increased with each unsuccessful authentication attempt.Deferring notification reduces the rate at which attempts may begenerated by an intruding party. In one embodiment, notification isdeferred for a randomly selected interval in order to increase theambiguity to an intruding party.

The authentication module 220 may also eliminate any notification offailure and only provide notification of success. Reducing oreliminating feedback further reduces the probability of unauthorizedaccess to the data storage device 200. Additionally, in certainembodiments, the authentication module 220 may be configured to requirere-authentication in response to a timeout event. In one embodiment, atimeout event is generated when an interval between two commandsreceived by the data bearing medium 210 is greater than a pre-designatedinterval. In certain embodiments, a timeout event may also occur if thedata storage device 200 receives a specified command or series ofcommands.

The timing module 230 may be configured to provide timing informationcorresponding to the arrival times of symbols. In one embodiment, thetiming information for each symbol is presented to the receiving buffer240. In another embodiment, the timing information for symbols ispresented directly to the authentication module 220.

The receiving buffer 240 receives the symbol stream 145 and holds thesymbols until needed. The decryption module 245 may be configured tocommunicate with the receiving buffer 240 to decrypt the symbol stream145. In certain embodiments, the decryption module 245 is furtherconfigured to accept a new encryption key.

FIG. 2 b illustrates one embodiment of a protected-storage computingdevice 250 of the present invention. As depicted, the protected-storagecomputing device 250 includes a computing bus 255, an interface module260, a storage access module 270, an encryption module 280, and a timinggenerator 290. The depicted modules function harmoniously to receive acharacter sequence 135 from a user and communicate a symbol stream 145corresponding to the character sequence 135, with specific timingconstraints imposed thereon, to a data storage device. Theprotected-storage computing device 250 is one example of the computingdevice 110 depicted in FIG. 1.

The depicted embodiment of the protected-storage computing device 250includes a computing bus 255 which facilitates internal communicationamong the various modules that comprise the protected-storage computingdevice 250. For example, the interface module 260 may be configured toreceive a character sequence 135 from a user in response to providingthe user a password prompt and provide data corresponding to thecharacter sequence via the computing bus 255 to the storage accessmodule 270 or the encryption module 280. In varying embodiments, thecharacter sequence 135 may contain one or more user-entered passwords.

The storage access module 270 may be configured transmit a symbol stream145 corresponding to the character sequence 135 to a storage device suchas the data storage device 200. The symbols stream 145 may have specifictiming constraints provided by the timing generator 290.

The encryption module 280 may be configured to communicate with thestorage access module 270 via the computing bus 255 to encrypt thesymbol stream 145 previous to transmission to the storage device. Incertain embodiments, the encryption module 280 may be further configuredto dynamically receive a new encryption key.

The timing generator 290 generates a timing pattern that is imposed onthe symbol stream 145 transmitted to the data storage device 200 by thestorage access module 270. In certain embodiments, the timing generator290 may be configured to generate specific timings for certain selectedsymbols and random timings for other symbols referred to asrandom-timing symbols. The use of random-timing symbols may serve toconfuse an intruder attempting to gain unauthorized access and increasethe security of the present invention over previous solutions.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart diagram depicting one embodiment of a storageaccess method 300 of the present invention. The depicted storage accessmethod 300 includes providing 310 a password prompt, receiving 320 acharacter sequence from a user, encoding 330 a symbol stream, generating340 a timing pattern, and communicating 350 the symbol stream with thespecified timing pattern. The storage access method 300 may be conductedindependent of, or in conjunction with, the computing device 110depicted in FIG. 1 or the computing device 250 depicted in FIG. 2.

Providing 310 a password prompt may include prompting a user to enterone or more passwords. In certain embodiments, the number of passwordsprompted is different than the number of passwords required by thesystem 100, such that an intruder may not visually determine the numberof required passwords. In one embodiment, a multi-line entry box (notshown) is provided to the user, the user enters one or more lines oftext separated by line delimiters, and access to the storage device isinitiated by the user with a separate interface control such as an‘enter password(s)’ button. In another embodiment, multiple passwordsare input on a single display line.

Subsequent to providing 310 a password prompt, the method continues byreceiving 320 a character sequence 135 generated by the user. Thecharacter sequence 135 may include one or more passwords and associateddelimiters. In the depicted embodiment, the method continues by encoding330 a symbol stream.

Encoding 330 a symbol stream involves converting the character sequence135 received from the user to a symbol stream 145 acceptable to thestorage device. In one embodiment, the storage device may accept thecharacter sequence 135 without conversion and the encoding step 340 mayessentially be omitted. In another embodiment, encoding 330 involvesencrypting the character sequence 135 to provide an encrypted symbolstream 145 and additional security to the storage access system 100.

Not only does encrypting the symbol stream 145 further contribute to thesecurity of the system because the symbol stream 145 is encrypted, butit also contributes to security by making the computing device 110 anecessary component to the overall storage access system 100. Making thecomputing device 110 a necessary component is advantageous becauseunauthorized persons often attempt to access a data storage device 150by separating it from the computing device and transporting it to adifferent location.

The depicted storage access method 300 continues by generating 340 atiming pattern. In one embodiment, the timing pattern is generated bythe timing generator 290 depicted in FIG. 2. In certain embodiments,generating 340 the timing pattern includes generating random timing forone or more designated random-timing symbols. In one embodiment, thetiming of symbols is relative to a start symbol, and the start symbolmay correspond to a selected ordinal position within the symbol stream145.

Communicating 350 a symbol stream may include using information obtainedfrom the timing generator 290 and encryption module 280 to communicatean encrypted symbol stream 145 to a data storage device with a specifictiming pattern imposed on the symbols of the stream 145. Imposing atiming pattern improves the security of the storage access method 300over previous solutions.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart diagram depicting one embodiment of a passwordauthentication method 400 of the present invention. The depicted method400 includes receiving 410 a symbol stream, testing 420 for correcttiming, decrypting 430 the symbol stream, testing 440 for valid passworddata, granting access 450, testing 460 for a timeout, and requiring 470re-authentication. The password authentication method 400 may beconducted by the data storage device 200, or the like, to protect thestorage device from unauthorized access.

The method 400 begins by receiving 410 a symbol stream containingpassword data such as the symbol stream 145. The symbol stream may beencrypted and received from a computing device or the like. Receiving410 the symbol stream may also include collecting timing information foreach symbol in the symbol stream.

The method 400 continues by testing 420 for correct timing. In oneembodiment, testing for correct timing involves detecting whetherselected symbols are received within specific timing windows. In certainembodiments, the duration of the timing windows may be sufficientlyshort (measured in microseconds) as to require the assistance of anappropriately configured hardware in order to meet the required timingconstraints. If the timing is incorrect, the method 400 ends 480 andaccess to the storage device 200 is denied. If the timing is correct,the password authentication method 400 continues processing.

In certain embodiments, the password authentication method 400 mayproceed by decrypting 430 the symbol stream 145 to convert the symbolstream to readable data. Subsequently, the method continues by testing440 for valid password data. In one embodiment, testing 440 for validpassword data involves comparing the password data to one or moreauthentication sequences stored within the storage device 200. If thepassword data is invalid the method ends 480.

If the password data is valid, the method 400 continues by grantingaccess 450 to the data storage device 200 and the data containedtherein. In certain embodiments, the method 400 includes testing 460 fora timeout and requiring 470 re-authentication if a timeout has occurred.If no timeout has occurred, the depicted method 400 continues by loopingto step 450 and continuing to grant access to the data storage device.If a timeout has occurred, the depicted method 400 requiresre-authentication by exiting the method 400 and thereby blocking accessto the data storage device 200.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram depicting one embodiment of a storage device500 of the present invention. The depicted storage device 500 includes adisk 510, a controller 520, and a set of gates 530 that gate access to abus 540. The storage device 500 is a particular example of the datastorage device 150 depicted in FIG. 2. The storage device 500 requires adouble password with specific timing between the passwords as acondition to granting access to the device.

In the depicted embodiment, the disk 510 is a data bearing mediumconfigured to support read and write operations generated by thecontroller 520. The controller 520 may be configured to validate thetiming and validity of password data provided to the gates 530 by thedatabus 540. In the depicted embodiment, the gates 530 provide a doublelocked system that requires two passwords to gain access to the disk510. Other embodiments include triple or quadruple gates for additionalsecurity.

In addition to correct passwords, proper timing between passwords isrequired to gain access to the disk 510. In certain embodiments,specialized support circuitry facilitates timing resolutions of lessthan 1 microsecond. In one embodiment, the second password must bereceived within a timing window of less than 3 microseconds after aspecified delay that is greater than 10 milliseconds and less than onesecond. In the aforementioned embodiment, more than 300,000 timingpossibilities exist between each symbol thereby significantly increasingthe permutations required to gain unauthorized access as well as thetime required to test each permutation.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart diagram depicting one embodiment of a passwordauthentication method 600 of the present invention. As depicted, themethod 600 includes receiving 610 a first password and starting a timer,testing 620 if the first password is correct, opening 630 the firstgate, receiving 640 a second password and stopping the timer, testing650 if the timing between the passwords is correct, closing 660 thefirst gate, testing 670 if the second password is correct, opening 680the second gate and granting access to the data storage device. Thepassword authentication method 600 is a particular example of thepassword authentication method 400 depicted in FIG. 4 that may beconducted in conjunction with the storage device 500 depicted in FIG. 5.

Receiving 610 a first password may include latching password data into afirst gate 530 a of the gates 530 and starting the timer 550.Subsequently, the method 600 continues by testing 620 if the firstpassword is correct. If the first password is incorrect, the method 600loops to step 610. If the first password is correct, the methodcontinues by opening 630 the first gate. Opening 630 the first gate mayoccur without notifying the accessing party that the first password iscorrect.

Subsequently, the method continues by receiving 640 the second passwordand capturing the timing between passwords, testing 650 if the passwordtiming is correct, and testing 660 if the second password is correct. Inone embodiment, testing 650 if the password timing is correct involvescomparing the value in the timer 550 against a timing window.

If the password timing is incorrect or the second password is incorrect,the method continues by closing 660 the first gate, looping to step 610,and waiting for a valid first password. If the password timing iscorrect and the second password is correct, the method continues byopening 680 the second gate, granting access to the storage device andterminating 690.

The present invention improves data security for storage devices. Thepresent invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or essential characteristics. The describedembodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrativeand not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicatedby the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. Allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are to be embraced within their scope.

1. An apparatus for controlling access to a data storage device, theapparatus comprising: an interface module configured to receive acharacter sequence from a user in response to providing a passwordprompt to the user; a storage access module configured to communicate asymbol stream corresponding to the character sequence to apassword-protected data storage device wherein at least one selectedsymbol within the symbol stream is transmitted within a specified timingwindow.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the interface module isfurther configured to receive a character sequence comprising aplurality of passwords in response to a single password prompt.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one selected symbolcorresponds to a password.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the atleast one selected symbol corresponds to a password delimiter.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the timing window is relative to a startsymbol.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the start symbolcorresponds to a selected ordinal position within the symbol stream. 7.The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a timing generatorconfigured to generate the timing window.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7,wherein the timing generator is further configured to generate randomtiming for at least one random-timing symbol.
 9. The apparatus of claim1, further comprising an encryption module configured to encrypt thesymbol stream.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the encryptionmodule is further configured to receive a new encryption key.
 11. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the interface module is further configuredto defer notification of successful access to the data storage devicefor a random interval.
 12. A system for controlling access to a datastorage device, the system comprising: a display configure to display apassword prompt to a user; an input device configured to provide meansfor inputting a character sequence; and a processing module configuredto communicate a symbol stream corresponding to the character sequenceto a password-protected data storage device wherein at least oneselected symbol within the symbol stream is transmitted within aspecified timing window.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein theprocessing module, input device, and display collectively comprise acomputing device selected from the group consisting of a computer, aworkstation, a pocket computer, an appliance, a media player, a mobiletelephone, and an electronic organizer.
 14. The system of claim 12,wherein the means for inputting a character sequence is selected fromthe group consisting of a keyboard, a keypad, a number pad, a mouse, atouch pad, a touch screen, and a stylus.
 15. The system of claim 12,wherein the display is selected from the group consisting of a monitor,a liquid crystal display, a terminal, and a television.
 16. The systemof claim 12, wherein the processing module is further configured torandomize a transmission time of at least one random-timing symbol. 17.The system of claim 12, wherein the processing module is configured todefer notification of successful access to the data storage device for arandom interval.